1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rail vehicle braking systems and, more specifically, to an improved brake cylinder piston assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Railway brake pistons of the type used on Association of American Railroads (AAR) cars are typically heavy and include a large number of parts that must be individually machined. For example, brake cylinder piston heads are made from cast iron and then riveted to a steel hollow rod. Additional machining is often necessary during the assembly process to address mill-run variations, such as in the outer diameter of the hollow rod, and for the line-bore drilling that is required prior to riveting the hollow rod to the cast piston head. Accordingly, there is a need for a brake cylinder piston assembly that eliminates the need for extra machining and provides for a simpler assembly.